An Unauthorized Source Confirms
by Calie1
Summary: Sometimes things don't go as planned. Especially when it comes to the paparazzi.
1. Chapter 1

"Chloe."

"Hmm?" She quickly shut her book, placed it on the sofa and tossed a pillow over it as she looked up at Clark, who had appeared in front of her.

"Chloe, um...." Clark swallowed nervously, reading material clutched in his grasp. Within the seconds it had taken him to buy every copy off the rack and fly over to her place he had resolved not to listen, to wait until she told him. Yet he couldn't control himself. He opened himself to the sound, focusing on her with his eyes, and then dropped his chin. It was true. "I don't know how to say this."

She rolled her eyes in response. "What is it? Need me to do some researching?" Chloe held out her hand to the stack of books and paper in his hand. "What's that?"

He looked down at his hand again and held it out, deciding the easiest thing to do was just show her.

What she thoughts were books, were instead magazines. He handed it over willingly and the first thing she caught sight of on the cover was a picture of herself, laptop slung over her shoulder with coffee in one hand, and Oliver walking just a step behind her, talking intently on his cell phone. It wasn't the picture that bothered her. After all, she'd noticed the photographers for some time now. They liked to suspect that Oliver and she were in a relationship, but they had nothing to confirm it with. No, it wasn't the picture, it was the headline.

_Queen Knocks Up Mystery Woman_

She threw the top magazine off to the side and stared down at the second. Different picture, only taken earlier that same day.

_CEO of Queen Industries Embarrassed of Pregnant Fling?_

The headline made her stomach roll and her mouth water. She let the magazine fall to the floor and stared at the next, and the next, and the next. She finally stopped on one, bile rising in her throat, heart pounding in her chest.

_Unauthorized Source Confirms, Oliver Queen's Girlfriend Two Months Pregnant_

She flipped through the trashy magazine, finally landing on a spread of pictures, mostly of her and Oliver. None of them proof of any relationship. One of them in his car, another walking into his building. The third had them sitting outside a coffee shop, her typing away at her laptop and him pounding away at his PDA. There was no hand holding, not even a brush of their hands. They didn't smile at one another, smirk, or brush a kiss against the others cheek. In fact, in every picture they didn't even appear to be talking to one another, although she knew they did. There was one picture, which took her only moments to realize had been taken only a day ago. She was walking out of Barnes and Noble, clutching a bag full of books and walking towards her car. She didn't even remember seeing the camera. She'd worn a pair of jeans, determined to wear them if only for appearances, but she had quickly unbuttoned them after having lunch with Lois. The flowy shirt hid the loosened button well though. A red arrow pointed at her stomach with a bold red circling encircling it. She could barely swallow. Her eyes landed on the headline over the article.

"_Mr Queen Doesn't Even Know."_

The rest of the article was almost too much. Detailed accounts of her visit with a private doctor employed by Oliver, testing over the past three weeks to confirm her pregnancy. Then it went on to cover Oliver's overseas trips over the past two weeks and offer speculation as to why Chloe had not told him the news. The writer even dared to state that it was because she was manning her arsenal, hiring lawyers and planning how to get her hands on his money. "Oh, God." Her jaw hardened and she didn't even stop herself from ripping the pages out.

Clark watched as Chloe, in a fit of anger, fisted as many magazines as she could get into her hands and threw them with a scream of anger. "How long?" he asked.

Chloe turned back to Clark, realizing suddenly that he was still there. She breathed deeply, her chest heaving with her outburst. "Almost two months."

"And-." He clamped his mouth shut, almost feeling like he was invading her personnel business, just as the magazines had done. "Is it Oliver?"

She swallowed, for the first time admitting in the open her secret. "Yes." Silence hung between them for what seemed like hours until it was finally broken but the shrill sound of her cell phone. Chloe grabbed it off the sofa and glanced down. "Lois."

"Don't answer it." Clark said quickly. She looked back up at him in mild shock. "I love Lois and all, but I don't think you're ready for that conversation."

"You're right." Chloe hit the silent button and and sighed. "What am I going to do?"

"Does Oliver know?" She shook her head hurriedly. It wasn't like her not to have a plan, and it was obvious she didn't. Chloe had faced a lot of dangerous situations, some it was a miracle she had gotten out of, but this one he could tell frightened her.

"He and the team were ready to take off three weeks ago just when I was beginning to suspect. I wanted to bring it up, but I was worried if I told him he wouldn't go. So I didn't mention it. After he left I went and saw Dr. Emil. I was going to tell Oliver when he got back." Another thought, worse then any other began creeping up inside of her. It was only a matter of time before Oliver found out. If Lois hadn't called him already she had no doubt someone else would have. The phone rang again. She glanced down at it, her heart dropping as she saw the name she feared flash across her screen. Chloe glanced up at Clark in panic. "It's him. I can't."

"You can't just not answer it Chloe! Whether he believes it or not, I know Oliver, and I'm sure he is ready to hit the roof. You ignoring his phone calls won't help!"

"Okay, okay." She shuddered, looking down at the phone and hitting silent on the shrill tone. Eventually it stopped, a small box flashing on the screen '1 missed call'. "I need to think." Chloe collapsed on to the sofa. Her phone released a small ding before she had even pressed her back against the cushions. She opened the text message and swallowed. 'Call me now.' "God Clark." She leaned forward, propping her elbows on her knees and burying her face in her palms. Her laptop dinged and she glanced up to see Oliver's Green Arrow com flashing on the screen.

"He's not going to stop."

"I know." She rocked back and forth, trying to put together whatever she was going to say. Her cell dinged again and she felt a moment of foreboding as she opened the message. 'I know you're there. I'm two hours outside of Metropolis. So answer the damn phone!' "Asshole." She muttered to herself. She could see him in his jet now, tossing his phone across the cabin, releasing a string of curse words. "Okay." She sighed and stood up. "I'm going to call Dr. Emil, if Oliver hasn't already, and try to get him to find out where this leak came from. Also to make sure he doesn't say tell Oliver anything, or anyone else for that matter. You call Oliver."

"What?!" Clark exclaimed. "I'm not carrying his kid!" She frowned at his response.

"I know that Clark. Don't be ridiculous. But I am not having this conversation with an irate Oliver over the phone when he is only two hours outside of Metropolis."

"What am I supposed to tell him?"

"I don't know. Lie. He won't expect it of you. Tell him I know what's going on, but I'm not talking to him until he gets here. And if he asks you if it's true, tell him you don't know."

"Come on Chloe! I mean, I can see the baby's heart beating. I can see it in your stomach! He knows that!" Her brow furrowed slightly in response, then it smoothed away.

"Can you really?"

There was a softness to her tone that he hadn't expected. Gone was her concern and agitation at the sudden turn of events, replaced by innocent wonder. "Yes." She smiled gently, her hands brushing against her loosely clothed stomach.

"Look, just tell him you haven't seen me. You only phoned me. I asked you to call him. Explain to him that everything is fine, but that I thought this conversation was better had face to face." She raised an eyebrow at the look of trepidation on Clark's face. "Got it?" He sighed and nodded. "And as for Lois, just stay away from her, because if you don't she'll have the truth out of you in minutes."

He groaned inwardly, realizing that meant he would have to ignore her call also. Even over the phone she would be able to tell he was lying. "For how long?"

"At least until I can talk to Oliver. Look Clark, I really need to call Dr. Emil. You should leave. That way he can't pressure you into putting me on the phone." His unhappiness was more than evident, but he took off towards her balcony doors, shoulders slumped in resignation. Before he even launched himself into the air she was already calling Dr. Emil.

* * *

For the next two hours she awaited Oliver's return. She spoke only with Dr. Emil, guilting him into ignoring Oliver's phone calls by reminding him that the leak came from his office. The rest of the time she spent reading the articles, searching the internet and hacking into back accounts belonging to every magazine that covered the story. She hoped to find a transfer of cash to lead her to the perpetrator. There were quite a few large lump sums from different accounts, but nothing she could pin point. These people made a living keeping their source a secret. If they couldn't do that then they wouldn't be able get the latest gossip and someone else would.

* * *

Oliver had texted her a few more times. First telling her that he was pissed she was hiding behind Clark. The second came a while later proclaiming that he couldn't believe she didn't have enough backbone to call him back. She resisted the urge to respond that time and tell him to go to hell. Backbone her ass. She had enough for the two of them. The third came around two hours after Clark had left. 'Why won't you even talk to me?'

Oliver buried his head in his hands as the door to the limo shut behind him. The rest of the team had taken off in another car.

"Mr. Queen, we're not sure how you want to handle this. We've contact numerous magazines, but no one wants to talk to us without a statement from you," said the man on the left.

"And we can't file anything with the courts without Dr. Emil's confirmation that medical records were leaked," the man on the right added.

He sighed and sat back, staring at the two men that sat across from him. One of them his Press Secretary, the other one of many attorneys. "I don't know."

"You said over the phone you needed to talk to her. Did you even get confirmation that she is indeed pregnant?"

The reminder that she wouldn't answer his phone calls reawakened his anger. "No." Only two people knew something, Clark and Dr. Emil. Clark was being tight lipped about the whole thing, and Dr. Emil had been brushing him off for hours.

"We could release a statement denying everything."

"No." Oliver shook his head and gulped, because deep down he was actually worried it was true. "I'm going to see her now, when I find out you'll be the first to know. I would suspect at that point Dr. Emil will be more than glad to speak with either one of you. If this is a total fabrication I want it cleared up immediately, If it's truth I want everything they've got." He said through gritted teeth. Momentarily grateful to direct his anxiety and anger elsewhere. "I want the fucking building, the furniture, the carpet, and every fucking pen on the desk." They mumbled a few affirmatives and proceeded to make a string of phone calls. Oliver settled back into the seat, looking out the window as they left the airport and turned onto the entrance ramp to the interstate. He glanced at his phone again, wishing for a new message from her, but finding none. The anger he had felt earlier left him and he sighed, typing one last message. Whether it was true or not, he couldn't understand why she wouldn't at least talk to him. Clark swore up and down that she only wanted to see him in person, but Oliver couldn't control the growing doubt and suspicion that she didn't really want to talk to him. It wasn't like her to avoid anything.

* * *

When he pulled up to her building he frowned. As much as he had tried to keep his arrival back in Metropolis a secret he suspected it would have gotten leaked. A crowd a paparazzi stood in front of her building, cameras flashing at the heavily tinted windows of the limo. Two body guards took their places at the door before the limo driver was able to struggle through crowd and open the door. He slid out of the car, ignoring the yelling, the questions, the flash of lights, and looked up at her watchtower, suspecting that she was most likely looking down at him. The two men at his side successfully pushed the paparazzi at the way, and as a couple of them fell to the ground Oliver couldn't help but be slightly envious that he hadn't been the one to do it himself. They left him at the entrance, allowing him to make the trek to the elevator on his own.

* * *

She stepped away from the window when Oliver disappeared from her view. For the next couple of minute she paced, sat on the sofa, and stood back up again to continue her pacing. Her hand went to her stomach, clutching it for some kind of support. It was wrong of her to leave him out in the cold, and she'd apologize for it, but she'd waited three weeks just to tell him in person. There was so much in their lives to discuss, and there was no way she felt comfortable doing that over the phone.

She finally stood still and glanced down at her phone. Pressing down the off button she powered it down. The only person she wanted to speak was going to be there in just seconds. With a sigh she tossed the phone onto a nearby chair and waited. There was no need for her to open the door when she heard his footsteps coming from down the hall. He already had a key.

When it opened he took a step in and stopped, staring at her with without any emotion. Then he turned away, closing the door behind him and locking it securely. His hand hovered over the small table next to the door, dropping his cell phone there with a careless clunk.

"You couldn't even be bothered to answer your phone?"

His tone was clipped and short. She had hoped for something else, perhaps some concern for her well being, but not his indifference. "I'm sorry, I really am. I just couldn't talk to you about this over the phone." His eyes flicked down and she resisted the urge to cover her stomach from his gaze, somehow believing that he could see into her just as Clark had. There were no telltale signs though, only a loose fitting shirt to make him suspect that she might be trying to hide something. "I didn't know about all this really. The magazine articles, the paparazzi." She waved her hand outside the window. "Clark literally came over here minutes before you called me."

"So he was here?" Oliver asked evenly, already catching her in what he suspected was a lie.

She cursed herself for not confirming exactly what was said between Clark and Oliver. There was no use in lying though. "Yes, he's the one that told me about it. Look, I'm sorry I had Clark lie. It was for the best. I knew you'd would try to pry some kind of answer out of him if you knew he was here and the same thing with Dr. Emil. It was just easier to keep you in the dark until I could talk to you."

"Talk to me!? You haven't said anything!" Oliver boomed, his anger at her deception and unwillingness to talk coming to the surface. "The whole fucking country thinks you're pregnant and I can't even get a damn answer out of you!"

"Yes!" Chloe screamed, her throat protesting at the over use. The silence after her outburst seemed to be suffocating them. "I'm pregnant!" She turned away from him, walking over to the table and snatching up the most offending magazine. "The whole thing is true!" She folded open the magazined and thrust it at his chest before stepping away. When he lowered it to reading level and looked down she continued. "The whole story is true. I went to Dr. Emil after you left for Brazil. He confirmed the pregnancy. I've been hiding it from everyone, waiting for you to return for three weeks, but someone from his office leaked my files. They've got everything...blood tests, urine test, the exam, the ultrasound." Her voice broke slightly at the last word. Although the baby was no larger then her finger, she still felt like it had been an invasion of not just her privacy, but the child in her womb. "The whole fucking world knows about my body!"

Her voice was thick with tears, forcing him to look up from the magazine. Her glassy eyes met his for a moment before she turned her head and folding her arms around her body. He felt the fight drain from him at the sight of her crying. When he looked at it now, everything was more his fault then hers. It was his status that had brought on this firestorm. He tossed to magazine to the side, not caring where it fell, and took two steps forward to close the distance between them. When he wrapped his arm around her body she leaned in closer, burying her head into his chest. "I'm sorry for getting angry." He said more gently. She breathed in deeply, and nodded against his chest. "Hey." He grasped her by her arms and pulled her back. "Let me take care of this, and then we'll talk."

The tone of his voice was much gentler and the look on his face of genuine concern. She couldn't help but be relieved. "I already crashed some of the websites and shutdown their e-mail."

Oliver couldn't help but smirk. "That isn't going to stop them."

"I know." Chloe wiped the tears from her eyes and forced herself to take a deep, shuddering breath. "But it made me feel better. It was the most I could do without leading them back to me."

He nodded in understanding, and suspected she wasn't quite through with them yet. Even though she seemed much more relaxed he could still see the concern in her green eyes. "It's going to be fine." He brought his hands to her face and lowered his lips to her own. They kissed gently, and much more chastely then he had intended when he had gotten it into his head to jump on the jet in the middle of the night to surprise her. Slowly they pulled apart and he lowered his hands from her face. It was his intention to step away from her, but instead his hands settled on her waist, gripping her hips, thumbs extending over her abdomen.

She felt his thumbs rub gently against her stomach. Instead of looking down she watched his face as his eyes fell from hers and appeared to be trained on her stomach. "Everything's okay." Chloe whispered softly. "Dr. Emil said all my tests came back and that over the past three weeks everything seems to be progressing normally." She watched him breathe in slowly, shakily and release it. His thumbs drew away from her stomach as he gripped her hips tighter before nodding. There was a lot more she wanted to tell him and show him, but it would have to wait she realized as his hands fell from her and he stepped away, grabbing for his cell phone again.

"Why don't you call Dr. Emil and tell him that he can finally start answering his phone." Oliver hit the speed dial on his phone and looked up to watch her as she moved for her own phone. "How did you get him to keep silent anyway? I am his employer."

Chloe shrugged as she waited for it to power back on. "I reminded him that I had trusted him with this and it was someone in his office that created this situation. I think he felt guilty enough to hole himself up for a couple of hours." He cocked an eyebrow in response but didn't say another word on the subject.

While Oliver made his phone calls she texted Clark with the okay to face Lois again. He'd get it for sure, but Chloe was pretty sure in the end Lois was saving it all for her. Unfortunately it would have to wait. Chloe wasn't making any more phone call until she could actually have a proper conversation with Oliver. For the next twenty or so minutes she watched Oliver pace as she made herself lunch. The whole situation had her stomach in knots. It wasn't until she had Oliver there with her and not angry that she felt her appetite return. Although getting his attention was impossible she proceeded to make him something too. She watched with a frown and mild amusement at times as he threatened and yelled on the phone. He hadn't asked her input on anything, which she normally did not like, but in this case she figured he was better quipped to handle scandal and the paparazzi. In the end it sounded like he was going to refuse to make any kind of statement. Although he had been quite insistent on his attorney procuring a warrant to get any and all of Chloe's medical records back and file a gag order. And although most of the magazines were untouchable because they had only reprinted information from other magazines, Oliver was very insistent on collecting damages from the one that had purchased the information.

She'd only made it halfway through her sandwich before her stomach turned unpleasantly and she was forced to leave the rest of it on the counter. She walked back towards the sofa and sunk into it was a sigh. Moments later quiet once again filled the room. "Everything okay?" she asked.

"Kind of." He entered the room and looked down at her with a frown. "I can't undo this, only stop it from getting worse."

"And make other people's lives miserable?" She asked with a knowing smile.

"Yeah well, that too." He took a seat next to her on the sofa "I'm of half the mind to fly out to their headquarters and break in to try and retrieve anything they have."

"The Green Arrow stealing my medical records would be a tad suspicious." He only frowned in response, but she knew he wouldn't dare. Chloe reached over his lap and snagged one of the throw pillows. After laying it on his lap she pulled her legs onto the sofa and propped her head onto the cushion with a yawn. His hands settled on her waist and for a moment she allowed herself to closer her eyes and relax.

"How far?"

His question was rather vague, but as his hand slid underneath the hem of her shirt and settled on her stomach she understood. "About two months. Due October 3." Chloe rolled onto her back and reached for the hem of her shirt, pulling it up underneath her breasts, and then reaching down for the top of the elastic to her pants. Lifting her hips she managed to slid it down underneath where her hipbones still protruded out. His hand pressed against her stomach, still flat, just slightly pudgy.

"Two months and that's it?" He asked with slight disappointment that surprised even him.

Chloe pinched at the soft skin of her stomach. "Tell that the buttons of my jeans."

The sat in silence for some time with his hands resting on her stomach and her watching as it rose and fell with each breath. His thumb gently caressed the exposed skin and for a moment she couldn't help but miss the other ways he touched her. "We've got a lot to talk about." She said eventually.

"I know."

"We were reluctant to even start a relationship." Chloe admitted to him. There lives were so hectic and dangerous, that falling for one another had seemed more of a problem then a blessing, at least at first.

"I don't want this to be an accident." Oliver said suddenly, not even dwelling on the problems of him being CEO of Queen Industries, and their leadership of the Justice League. Her head turned up toward him and her eyes met his own. "I mean I know it wasn't on purpose, but I don't want to think of it as an accident Chloe."

"Ollie..." Chloe pushed herself sat up rather awkwardly with both hands propped on either side of his lap. "Just because it's an accident doesn't mean it has to be bad."

"That's not what I mean." He hooked an arm around her waist and urged her onto his lap. He couldn't help but be slightly satisfied when he straddled his legs. "Just because I was reluctant to start a relationship with you doesn't mean I don't love you more then any other." He pulled her hips closer to his own and brought a hand up to cradle her face. "And just because this happened without us planning it doesn't mean I hadn't already made up my mind that you were the only woman in the world I would ever want to have children with. And just because you're having my child now doesn't mean that didn't already know I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you, even if we are going about it rather half ass and backwards." He brought another hand up to her face, and brushed his thumbs over her cheek, wiping away the tears that now spilled over them. "And I know if I asked you to marry me right now you'd tell me you aren't going to marry me just because you're pregnant. So whenever you're ready..."

"That's a half ass proposal without a ring." Chloe said through her tears, but could help a watery smile.

He grinned in return. "So I'm not right?"

"I'm not walking down an aisle pregnant or out of shape. I'm not going to have those bastards plastering my picture all of the damn world and pointing out every inch of baby fat."

"Oh trust me," Oliver slid a hand down over her breasts and around to rest on her back. he leaned in closer and pressed a kiss against he lips. "I can get you in shape.

"I'm sure." Chloe mumbled as he drew her bottom lip into his mouth. He pulled her closer, crushing her breasts against his chest. She winced at the pain she had discovered weeks ago in her breasts, but he didn't seem to notice. At least not yet. She was sure he would have no problem noticing their slight enlargement.

"So, at the risk of sounding like an uneducated fool," Oliver trailed his hand underneath her shirt and pressed his palm against her bare breast, "We're okay for extracurricular activities right?"

Chloe couldn't help but laugh, even as his tongue swept out against the seam of her lips and his fingers pinched gently at her tender nipple. She'd have to make him aware soon of the change in the state of her breasts. "Yes, but not on my stomach."

"Well that's unfortunate," Oliver responded and pulled back from her slightly.

Chloe allowed him to lift her shirt from her body, leaving the upper half of her body exposed to him.

"But that doesn't exclude you from getting on your hands and knees does it?"

She couldn't help but notice the wicked glint in his eyes before he dove down and drew one hard and tender nipple into his mouth. "No." She said breathlessly in response.

* * *

Notes: I may continue this one some additional stand alone one-shots. Perhaps taking place through her pregnancy up until she has the baby. Let me know what you think.


	2. Chapter 2

Notes: So I'd labeled this as complete and was going to write it as posting separate one shots. But that seemed a bit much. So I am going to relabel it as in-progress. This chapter isn't as long as the. It takes place directly after chapter 1. But just keep in mind other chapter may have larger gaps in-between.

"_She's on her way."_

"Wait, what?" Chloe sat up at the sound of Clark's voice, ignoring the irritable sigh from Oliver as his arm fell from her waist and he rolled away from her.

"_I'd been trying to convince her otherwise, but when you wouldn't answer your phone she decided just to head over there."_

"Jesus." Chloe threw her feet over and stood up. A spell of vertigo hit her, making her vision swim. She grabbed for the headboard and sighed. "Clark! Everything just finally started to calm down!"

"_I know, I'm sorry. Do you want me to come over?"_

"No, just let me get-." She stopped herself from saying she needed to get dressed. "I'll take care of it." Chloe tossed her phone onto the mattress and stood up again, this time without a wave of dizziness.

"What are you doing?" Oliver mumbled into his pillow.

"Lois is coming over here!" She looked around for her clothes and cursed to herself when she recalled that they were in the living room.

He rolled onto his back and propped himself up on his hands. "Are you serious?"

"Yes!" Chloe yelled behind her as she ran for her clothes. "You need to go!"

"I'm not leaving! I just got here!"

Chloe growled to herself and she collected her belonging and then ran back back to her bedroom. "Yes you are. Because I can guarantee as bad as it will be to explain not only the fact that you and I are seeing each other, obviously sleeping together _and_ I hid it from her, but now I'm pregnant!"

"Dammit Chloe." He threw the sheet to the side and stood up.

"Here." She gathered his clothes and tossed them onto the bed.

"I don't even have a damn car."

"Take mine." They dressed mostly in silence, the only noise being the shuffle of clothing and Oliver's cursing.

"This is ridiculous," he said as he pulled on his shirt. Without even bothering with the buttons he walked around the bed to Chloe and dropped a kiss on her cheek. "Call me when she's gone and I'll come back."

"Hurry." He turned away from her with a growl. The door closed moments later and she breathed a sigh of relief. Lois lived far away enough from her that Oliver shouldn't have run into her on his way down. With Oliver out of the way now she only had to worry about was Lois.

The knock came ten minutes later. "Who is it?"

"You know who it is! I'm sure Smallville called you as soon as I was out the door!"

Lois rarely called Clark Smallville anymore, usually only when he annoyed her. Chloe sighed and opened the door. "Hey." Lois stormed passed her, not bothering to respond. Chloe only frowned in response and shut the door. When she turned around to face her cousin she was looking around. When Lois finally turned to face her, she had her arms folded over her chest, eyebrow cocked.

"So the chicken shit left, didn't he?"

With a roll of her eyes Chloe walked passed Lois and headed into the living room. "You know I was going to call you."

"I'm sure. From the pained looked on Clark's face and the fact that he refuses to tell me ANYTHING, makes me believe that practically everything they are saying about you and Oliver are true."

Chloe took a seat on the sofa, folded her hands into her lap and sighed. "Yes."

"How could you keep this from me?!"

"Oliver didn't even know!"

"I didn't even know you and Oliver were doing it?! I mean maybe the pregnancy thing wouldn't have been as much as a shock if I had known you and Oliver were going at it like bunnies!"

"Lois, don't be ridiculous," she rolled her eyes and shook her head. "We didn't tell anyone."

"Obviously! I mean the two of you are having some like clandestine affair! I mean how did I miss this?" Lois shook her head and began to pace. "How long has this been going on?!"

"Nine months." That seemed to stop Lois from wearing treads into her floor.

"Nine months." Lois narrowed her eyes at Chloe. "Nine months the two of you have been going at it."

"That isn't any of your business." Lois' mouth fell open in response. "The point is, we've been seeing each other for nine months. We were going to tell everyone eventually. But I mean both of us have had it pretty rough and it just seemed easier to keep it to ourselves. Not to have to deal with the looks, the papers, the questions."

"You couldn't even tell your own cousin?! I mean I get the rest, but I mean come on Chloe. I may be a reporter, but I'm also your family."

Chloe frowned. "It wasn't just that. Our lives are so crazy, you know that. And we didn't want to do this in the first place. I mean Lois you know what we do, who Oliver is. To tell you the truth I wasn't sure I was ready to get into a relationship only to lose someone _again_. And Oliver, I think he just figured he'd always have to leave someone behind, so it was easier just to be alone. You have to admit the fact that you and he were together, combined with the fact that he seemed to pine after you for a time after would make things rather uncomfortable." Lois opened her mouth as if to argue and Chloe looked at her knowingly. "Come on Lois. Don't try to deny it. I think that was one of the biggest road blocks in the beginning. I don't think I really trusted him to be over you."

"So, then what happened? What changed?" Because obviously something changed. Lois saw the pictures on the internet that seemed to pop out out of no where. There was nothing hinting in them at anything romantic, but it was obvious from their multiple outings together that they were spending more time with one another.

"I think we wanted it more then we didn't want it," Chloe said simply and smiled rather sadly up at Lois. "And we trusted one another, we knew _everything_ about each other, things that we would not be able to tell someone else. It just kind of made sense in the end."

Lois sighed, feeling the anger at their betrayal fade away. Taking a seat next to Chloe she couldn't resist from glancing down at her stomach. "So are you really..." She nodded towards Chloe's stomach.

"Yeah, two months."

"Wow. You're pregnant." Lois shook her head and looked up at Chloe with mild shock. Once the whole Oliver thing had sunk in she was now able to fully focus on the other surprise. "I don't see anything."

Chloe laughed softly. "Lois, you won't see anything for a couple more months." Her cousin frowned in return.

"So Oliver. He didn't know?"

"No, I mean he does now. He really just found out like two hours ago."

"And he's okay?" Lois liked Oliver, in fact she probably loved him as a good friend considering how deep of a relationship they had originally. However, the last thing Lois could imagine was Oliver being okay with the prospect of having a kid, especially one that he hadn't been ready for.

"Yeah." Chloe wasn't going to go into detail about everything he'd said, especially in regards to getting married. "He was a bit put out that I kept it from him for so long, and I think the fact that the paparazzi exposed it made it even worse. But he's alright now. I think it will take a little while for it all to sink in for him, but I really think he'll be okay."

"Yeah, well I'll pay money to see that." Lois shook her head with a small grin, counting on being able to instill the fear of god into Oliver at the prospect of being a father. "And you're okay?"

"Yeah, been a little sick." Chloe shrugged. "But it hasn't been so bad. And I feel better now that Oliver is back and he knows. And to tell you the truth I'm angry about how all this came out, but I'm a little relieved it's out there now."

"Yeah, well trust those scavengers to put your whole life out there."

Chloe laughed at the disgusted look on Lois' face. "Lois, you're a reporter."

"Please, there is no comparison. They're the bottom of the barrel." Lois slapped her legs and stood up. "Now that everything is out in the open I think I'll head into work. I had to call in just so I wasn't bombarded. I couldn't very well walk in to questions about my cousin and my ex having a love child and not know anything about it."

"Of course." Chloe rolled her eyes at Lois' retreating back and stood up to follow.

"Now I can pretend it's old news."

Chloe bid her goodbyes to Lois and quickly shut the door as her cousin crossed the threshold. With a relieved sigh she collapsed against the door. Her eyes immediately flew in the direction of her bedroom where she had left her cell phone. With a tired sigh she trudged back to her bedroom and collapsed onto her bed, settling back onto her pillow and reaching for her cell phone with a groan. It only rang twice before it picked up.

"_She gone?"_

"Yeah, are you coming back?" He sighed on the other end and she resisted the urge to groan. "What?"

"I have to go in to work for a little bit. I guess being gone for two weeks rubs some share holders the wrong way."

"I just wanted you to come back to bed." Chloe hated the pitiful tone of her voice. But she'd gone through three weeks of knowing she was pregnant without being able to share it with him, then to have it exposed by the paparazzi, avoid him for two hours, argue, then finally have things right again only for him to be pulled away.

"I know, I'm sorry. Go back to bed, you've had a rough morning and you sound tired. What if I pick you up when I'm done and we can talk and go over everything from the mission at my place."

"I can go over it now Oliver. I don't have any-."

"No, just wait for me. Get some sleep."

She sighed in response to his insistence. He had shown concern for her before when she had pulled an all nighter, but it was rare. Chloe knew exactly where his concern was coming from, but if she was honest with herself, she was to tired to even argue. "Okay."

"Pack a bag."

"Mmmhmm." Chloe yawned and pulled the covers back over herself. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Chloe snuggled back into her pillow, still slightly disappointed that Oliver wasn't sleeping next to her, but placated enough at the thought of being with him that night.


	3. Chapter 3

"Are you nervous?"

Oliver turned at the sound of Chloe's voice. "Hmm?"

She laughed silently and folded her hands over her abdomen. It was only slightly protruding now, but she was grateful she was past the stage where she just appeared to be gaining too much weight and now actually looked pregnant. "You. You keep looking around like you expect Count Vertigo to make an appearance." He turned to her with a frown. "Sorry, bad joke. So what's with the foot tapping and the nervous glances?"

"Don't be ridiculous Chloe." He looked at her knowing face and sighed, seeing he was defeated. "All these woman," he whispered to her. "They're all pregnant. I mean they are huge."

Chloe laughed softly. "Yeah. This is the OB's office. What do you expect?"

"And all of these kids..." He nodded to a corner where a small group of children had congregated to play around some weird lego table.

"Well, some people do decide to have a second child," she supplied with a grin. An ear piercing cry filled the room and Chloe turned to a woman rocking a baby seat. "Oh look, how little. He must only be a couple of weeks old."

"She already had it, so what is she doing back?" Chloe elbowed him in the rib and he glared back at her. "What?"

"It's a boy. Notice the blue knit hat and the blue blanket. And after you have a baby you do have to come back for a check up you know? They don't just have you push out seven or eight pounds of baby and then send you on your way, even if there are no complications." He sighed and turned away from her, his mood obviously darker with that bit of information. "You know, I know you said you wanted to come with me for my appointments, but you don't have to come for all of them."

"I still want to come. Especially when it isn't like I can guarantee to be here for all of them." He frowned to himself. After his return he'd made the first appointment, just barely. He'd had to rush into the hospital, with no clue as to where her doctor's office was, even though he was pretty sure she had given him directions. By the time he got there she was already in the room waiting to see the doctor. The second appointment he had missed when he had been called to Star City for business. This one he was determined to make, even if he had to tell every bad guy or share holder on the planet to shove it.

"So, are you nervous, I mean about the ultrasound?" They'd talked about it before, and he continued to tell her no and that he didn't care what the sex of the baby was, but Chloe secretly suspected he wished for a boy and would slightly panic if he found out they were having a girl. Lois on the other hand had prayed that they would have a girl for Oliver's benefit and had even threatened to call in a few supernatural favors if she had to.

"No. Why do you keep asking me that?" His phone vibrated in his pocket and he pulled it out with a growl.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because you keep avoiding the question." He frowned as he responded back to an e-mail on his phone and then turned back to her.

"I'm not avoiding it."

Chloe opened her mouth to respond but quickly shut it.

"Chloe Sullivan."

Chloe stood up from the sofa and walked with Oliver to where the nurse was holding open the door. "Yes you are." She said under her breath.

"Shut up."

Chloe bit back a grin and walked towards the scale that the nurse directed her too. She stepped on it and looked over at him with a grin. Even if he did appear uncomfortable being there she was happy that he was.

"You've gained 1.2 pounds since your last visit. You've gained a total of 6.4 pounds. This way Ms. Sullivan."

Oliver fell into step with Chloe and lowered his head. "That's it?" She nudged him again and he frowned. As much as her stomach was sticking out he would have thought it would have been more.

"How are you doing? I'm Christy. You must be Chloe."

"Yes." Chloe glanced over at Oliver who stood at her side.

"Alright, let's get started here. Is this your first ultrasound?"

Chloe nodded. "Yeah." She watched the middle aged woman set a folder to the side and sit down on a chair.

"Great. Why don't you go ahead and lift your shirt up just over your belly. And who do we have here?"

Chloe looked to were the nurse nodded with a smile at Oliver, standing as still and silent as a board. "Oh, sorry. This is Oliver. He's a bit nervous."

"Chloe..."

Christy chuckled to herself as she grabbed the lubricant. "All this equipment usually makes them nervous. Now this shouldn't be cold. It's been on the warmer all morning, but sometimes it makes a fool out of me."

Chloe braced herself for the child, but none came. Only the warm gooey feeling of the gel being spread over her bulging stomach.

"So are you finding out the sex of the baby today?"

"That's what we're hoping," Chloe responded. Her heart gave a small flutter as the nurse leaned over her and began typing a few things into the keyboard. For the first time Chloe actually felt the nervousness that Oliver had been feeling. She'd heard the heartbeat before, and so had he, but for the first time they were going to see it, know what it is. It was a whole different story when she could start calling it a he or a she.

"Alright, I'm going to measure the heartbeat first."

Oliver met Chloe's eyes for just a moment before they went to her stomach. He turned to the screen and watched as images came up, none of them anything that Oliver could recognize. The technician moved the probe around for a few seconds, and then he finally heard it. In fact he couldn't just hear it, he could see it. See that small little heart pumping.

"The heartbeat's great. We're going to take some measurements and also get a few pictures. Somewhere along there we'll find out exactly what the two of you are having."

Chloe only nodded in response, unable to speak as she watched the screen and listened to the technician point out the feet, count the toes, and list certain measurements. For a moment she could feel her eyes water and she struggled to blink them away before they spilled down her cheeks.

"Okay here we are. Do the two of you have any preference?"

"No." Chloe shook her head and squinted at the screen trying to make out what it was they were looking at past the blurriness of her unshed tears.

"Well then, you'll be happy to know you're having a boy."

Chloe looked back over at Oliver with a grin. "I'm sure that's a relief," she joked.

He smirked to himself, a little bit more relieved then he thought he would be. "You have no idea."

"Lois will be disappointed," Chloe pointed out.

"Not too keen on having a girl?"

Chloe turned to the technician and shook her head. "No, it really didn't matter. But I think Oliver here, even though he wouldn't admit it, was a little scared of having a girl."

"Oh don't worry," the technician started, "there is always baby number two."

* * *

"Uh, I'm famished." Chloe stabbed a leaf of her side salad and shoved it into her mouth. Oliver had a meeting later in the day, but he'd freed up the majority of it for her and after the doctor visit had taken her to lunch.

Oliver watched Chloe pick up her sandwich and take a bite without paying much attention to his own. He glanced back down at the ultrasound pictures that he was still holding and sighed before tucking them away. "Chloe there's something I've been thinking about."

"Hmm?"

"Our living situation." This time he seemed to have her full attention, even though she was still chewing a mouth full of food. "I know we haven't talked about it, but I was assuming that by the time the baby is born we'd be living together."

"Yeah." Chloe wiped her mouth with a napkin. "I mean I'd thought about it. But I wasn't so sure how excited you were about living with someone so soon."

She had to be crazy. Oliver leaned forward on his arms. "Chloe, I just told you a couple of months ago that I wanted to marry you, and you are questioning the fact that I want to live with you." She rolled her eyes in response before shoving some lettuce into her mouth.

"Will you eat," Chloe responded after swallowing. "And I wasn't being thick. I just didn't want you to think I was pushing you into anything just because I'm pregnant. And that wasn't the only thing. I mean all this aside, concerning other _activities_ it would be pretty hard either way for us to move in together. I mean we very well can't give up your place or mine. Yours isn't prepared for all of my equipment, but I can't very well be doing what I usually do with a baby around. It isn't really baby friendly." Chloe sighed in frustration. She'd actually been thinking on their living situation a good bit, and there didn't seem to be an easy resolution in sight.

"There's one more option,' he said carefully as he prepared himself to broach the most difficult part of the conversation. She didn't seem the least bit alarmed as she bit into her sandwich again. He still hadn't touched his own. "We could wait a little while, but..." Oliver paused for a moment then took the plunge, "you could move to Star City with me." Her chewing stilled for a moment, her green eyes wide and almost shocked. "Queen Industries is based out of Star City, and there is a strong chance that in the future I will have to return there. And even while I'm living here I still have to fly out there for days at a time and I just don't want to have to do that." She finally swallowed, but remained silent and still as he continued. At least she was listening, but that didn't ease his anxiety. "And my...my parents home. Is bigger, a lot bigger. More then enough room for you to set up whatever you need behind as many trapdoors as you want."

"Oliver..."

He cut her off. "And that way I'd be traveling less. Half the time I'm leaving it's because I have to go to Star City. And I know you'd be leaving your home, but I swear I can have you back here whenever you want."

He wasn't just persistent, he was desperate, that she could see. She hated to admit it, but his suggestion really did make the most sense. Not once had she considered Queen Industries forcing him back to Star City, but she supposed it could happen. There would be no way he could say no to that, and she knew in the end she would follow him if it came down to it. She thought back to Smallville, to Metropolis, Clark, Lois, her watchtower that Jimmy had given to her. If she admitted it to herself there wasn't much to keep her there. Smallville and Metropolis were just places. And Lois and Clark, well she loved them, but over the past couple of years she found that life had brought all of them in different directions. Apart from them she really didn't have any friends. Her work didn't permit it. And her work, well that could be in any city. "I'll think about it." By the way his brow was furrowed worriedly she knew her answer hadn't given him any hope. "And maybe," she began slowly, "when you go back to Star City next time I'll go with you, just to have a look."

It wasn't her words that eased his worries, but the reassuring smile that spread over her face after she'd spoken. He left it at that though, and directed the conversation elsewhere.


End file.
